Our dogs have always been a big part of our lives. For the past decade it was our two Bullmastiffs, Luna and Bruiser and our little Cairn terrier Bridget who were the family dogs as my four children grew up. They’ve also been tremendously helpful in helping me to cope with depression and chronic illness….

No sooner holiday decorations put away in January then special needs parents start to think about the long summer break and how they’re going to keep their kids busy all summer. In Florida the heat is stifling during the summer and since my son is heat sensitive, he has to be closely monitored outside. For…

Low self-esteem is the major cause of negative thinking. Negative thinking can lower your self esteem even further creating a vicious cycle where you’re constantly feeling bad about yourself. But the good news is that you don’t have to stay in this rut. You can overcome the vicious cycle of negative thinking and low self…

30 Random Things about Living With Chronic Illness 1. I live with cervical dystonia, a neurological movement disorder that causes intense muscle spasms in my neck and shoulders, head rotation, head tremors and constant pain. 2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 2010 3. But I had slight symptoms since: 2010. I know I’m…

Why Does God Allow Disability to Happen? Walking down the street, Jesus saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked, “Rabbi, who sinned: this man or his parents, causing him to be born blind?” Jesus said, “You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead…

Creating a healthier lifestyle for your family requires dedication and intention, and getting it from a goal to reality can be very difficult. One of the biggest obstacles you’ll face from is resistance. Transitioning your family to healthier foods after years of processed and junk foods is going to be hard for everyone. It’s…

If you’re a person who struggles with a consistent negative mindset, don’t worry…you can turn that around with some intention. There are lots of ways that you can do this but one of the best things you can do is to fill your mind with uplifting content. Positive podcasts are a great way to improve…

Do you recharge yourself as diligently as you recharge your phone? If you’re a go getter who gives 110% to everything that you do, here’s a gentle reminder that not only should you work hard, but also play hard. It’s vitally important to create balance in your life. It’s perfectly okay to work hard…

Understanding Chronic Pain Triggers No matter what causes your chronic pain, you know how miserable it can make your life during a flare up. The first step in natural chronic pain management should be knowing what the most common chronic pain triggers are and taking the steps to reduce their impact on your life….

It’s hard to get away from all the evidence pointing to the dangers of sugar consumption. Even if you stay away from candy and yummy bakery items, sugar is hidden in just about everything including condiments, breads and even canned foods. But despite all the warnings, sugar consumption has skyrocketed in many households. Following are 5…

You’ve probably noticed that coloring books is a thing right now, and an extremely popular one at that. To me, coloring seems like the perfect antidote to our stressed digital lives. It takes us back to a simpler time. There are many health and psychological benefits of coloring. When I was a kid, my favorite…

One of the most important decisions you’ll need to make in terms of ongoing health and fitness is what the best eating plan to lose weight is for you. There are SO MANY eating plans to choose from. How do you know what works and what doesn’t? And more importantly, which one are you likely…

Growing up in the Northeast I remember the months after Christmas as being pretty depressing. The pretty holiday decorations are gone, the skies are gray and spring seems a long way off. Journaling is a great way to use up some creative energy and constructively use your time when it might be tempting to binge…

It’s never too early to start thinking about summer break. If we don’t take the time to do some planning, it can slip by before we know it. Take some time now to intentionally plan some screen free family summer activities to keep your kids busy. It doesn’t have to be perfect, expensive or even…

With so much going on in the world, many of us feel we have a responsibility to stay up to date on world events that can potentially impact our families. But consuming a steady stream of sensationalized headlines and political conflicts can leave us feeling overwhelmed with social media overload. Sometimes I find myself missing…

Studies show that most Americans spend far too much time sitting or laying down, sometimes as often as nine hours per day. In terms of overall health and wellness, this sedentary lifestyle could even be just as dangerous as smoking cigarettes. However, some people live with chronic illness or limited mobility which can make getting…

Stress is an inevitable fact of life. No matter how hard you try to plan out your day, the unexpected happens and that often causes stress. I highly recommend that you try meditation to reduce stress. I’m sure you’ve heard of meditation, but have you actually tried it for yourself? It’s a lot simpler…

I took a few days off social media the last few days of December in order to step away from social media craziness and be present with my family. But when I logged back in on January 1, I immediately became overwhelmed with various challenges, detoxes and weight loss shakes on my feed and in…

Many people struggle during the holidays for a variety of reasons whether it be sickness, financial or family troubles. Living with chronic illness is its own special hell at times and it really helps to know that there are others out there who are walking this tough road. I’ve rounded up some posts from other…

I’ve never had much luck with New Year’s resolutions. I’d often make crazy resolution lists in hopes of making this “the best year ever” but I aimed too far and never got past February. As you can imagine, this created a cycle of guilt and shame that followed me around for years. A simpler way…